Bank services to take a hit today as 10 lakh employees protest against bank merger

New Delhi: Crucial services at public sector banks (PSBs) are likely to be impacted on December 26 as bank employees participate in a nation-wide strike called by unions to protest against the proposed merger of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda. This will be the second bank strike within a week after the last agitation on December 21 when officers' union of state-run banks observed a day-long strike to protest against the merger and also demanded immediate settlement of wage negotiations.

AIBEA General Secretary CH Vekatachalam said that the decision to go ahead with the strike was taken after conciliatory talks called by Additional Chief Labour Commissioner did not lead to any assurances.

Customers have been informed of the suspension in services by most PSBs. And the private sector banks will continue to function as usual. The strike has been organised by United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella organisation of nine unions, including the All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC), the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE) and the National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW). The organisation claims that its membership consists of at least 10 lakh bank employees.

AIBEA General Secretary CH Vekatachalam said that the decision to go ahead with the strike was taken after conciliatory talks called by Additional Chief Labour Commissioner did not lead to any assurances. He said that neither the government nor the above-mentioned banks came forward to assure that the merger will not take place.